Marines Call Chapman
To Camp Pendleton

Randy Chapman of Tunbridge thought it was finally safe to open the mail.

He knew that his son Corey, who had completed four years in the Marines in 2001, could be called up again for active duty as part of the military build-up for a conflict in Iraq. Corey was still just two years into his four-year commitment of "inactive duty."

"I hated to get the mail for three or four months," Randy Chapman said. The call-up never came, however, and Chapman felt he could relax.

Last week, however, the unwelcome letter arrived. Corey Chapman, a corporal, was wanted immediately in Camp Pendleton in California.

Then he would be assigned. Somewhere. His tour of duty would be a year in length.

"It was kind of a shocker," Randy Chapman admitted this week.

Corey drove cross-country Saturday to Camp Pendleton, where he will have a couple of days getting shots, and take a two-week refresher course.

Fourth Generation

Joining he Marines came naturally to Corey. His great-grandfather, Harry Berry of South Royalton, had fought in World War I. His grandfather, "Scrib" Chapman, served in World War II. And Randy Chapman served in Vietnam. It was natural that Corey would be the fourth generation to serve in the armed forces.

In his four-year tour of active duty he was mostly stationed at Camp LeJeune but was among the first Marines ashore in the peacemaking program in Kosovo, his father said. Trained as an artilleryman, his role in any action would be in the infantry, he added.

During the time after his active service, he began working for his brother Craig putting in foundations. He was planning on building a house on some land adjacent to his father's

"Now that's all on hold."

When the call came, Randy Chapman said, his son took it in stride. "He's quite patriotic, so it didn't bother him much," he said.

He admits, however, that he's worried about the possibilty of American troops meeting up with chemical warfare. "That's what scares me is the chemicals," Randy Chapman said.

"I hope he stays right in California for a year," he said, echoing any parent's wish.